how difficult are connecting flights?

[lindanj]

Going to Disney spring break with my 4 kids all under 9. Because non-stop airfares are OUTRAGEOUS during that time, I am considering taking a onestop flight. On one flight the layover is 1 hour and on another the layover is 3 hours. I know it is not as convenient as a non-stop but wondering just how difficult a 1stop flight is. Any experience or advice with taking a connecting flight?

 

[ncc1701]

It depends on the airline & airport imo. Where are you doing the switch at? Might weather be an issue? If your flight is on time and the gate for the next flight is in the same terminal the 1 hour may work but could be tight. You have to figure 15 mins. or so to get off your 1st plane then get to the gate for the 2nd flight. They start boarding flights 30 mins. before takeoff. We have done a 90 min. layover & we had plenty of time (layover was in Phoenix ,had to go to the next terminal for the 2nd flight). However it was just me & DH flying from Philadelphia in April
If you do the 3 hour you can have a meal and not have to rush to the gate.

 

[Skywise]

As NCC1701 says it depends on the airport and airline.

For instance, I "bounce" through Atlanta all the time. Atlanta's a very large airport with 5 concourses and an underground train to shuttle you between them. I've had a 50 minute layover where I landed at the far gate of Concourse C and had to make a flight on the other end of Concourse A which meant walking halfway down the concourse, down the stairs, wait for the train then rode it to A, took the escalator back up then walk halfway down the concourse.

Worse, the plane got in about 5 minutes late due to the gate being blocked AND I was nearly the last one off the plane! I made it with a few minutes to spare (but my luggage didn't and caught the next flight down!)

On the other hand Charlotte, North Carolina's airport is smaller and a 50 minute connecting flight is plenty of time.

 

[DebbieB]

Going to Disney spring break with my 4 kids all under 9. Because non-stop airfares are OUTRAGEOUS during that time, I am considering taking a onestop flight. On one flight the layover is 1 hour and on another the layover is 3 hours. I know it is not as convenient as a non-stop but wondering just how difficult a 1stop flight is. Any experience or advice with taking a connecting flight?

Is it one stop or connecting? One stop means the plane makes a stop but you don't get off, you just wait while others board. Connecting means you have to change planes. One stop is easier than connecting.

 

[MillauFr]

I think it is a huge hassle to connect through many big airports. I always fly non-stop and are willing to pay $200-$300 extra to fly non-stop.

Last time I flew into Minneapolis we were delayed 90 minutes due to thunderstorms. The flight didn't land until 10:00p and many people missed their connecting flights. They had to figure out where to stay the night and then rebook their connecting flights until the next morning. It was no big for me other than the 90 minute delay as my final destination was Minneapolis.

 

[ancestry]

From my experience connecting flights aren't that big of a deal when traveling with adults or older children. However traveling with four children, especially if they are younger, may prove to be a bit frustrating.

Which airport would you be connecting through? Some airports are better than others. If it is an airport where you don't have to change terminals it will be much easier.

Are you and your children season travelers or will this be a newer experience for everyone? The more seasoned the traveler the easier to deal with connecting flights.

 

[JessM]

Connecting flights IMO are not a big deal. If I refused to fly connecting I'd never go anywhere. I had a 1 hour layover in Atlanta two weeks ago and we had plenty of time even though we had to switch terminals. We even had time to sit and eat lunch.

I normally take the chance with short layovers because I don't like sitting around the airport. I've rarely had any problems.

 

[seashoreCM]

Allow more time for a connection. I suggest no less than 2 hours.

Typically people who fly frequently, even if not on the same routes to the same destinations, take a chance on short connections because all those layovers all those trips add up. Those who travel only once in awhile or when traveling on an important trip want to make sure the trip goes of without a hitch.

Occasionally airlines modify their schedules. If yours gets changed and the connection time shrinks below your comfort level, hand pick flights you like better (nonstops are fair game), then telephone and request a re-change. The airline should respect your comfort level and make the rechange at no charge, regardless of what they consider to be a legal connection time.

Be prepared to ask for a supervisor and even to write to higher up if time permits.

 

[KaLyn]

Allow more time for a connection. I suggest no less than 2 hours...

I completely agree with this.

We did an hour layover in ATL with 3 kids (1,2 and 5) and 6 adults and we were rushed. We got off the plane, found bathrooms, swallowed fast food sandwiches (some actually had to eat their meals on the plane because we were so rushed) and then began boarding for the second flight (remember boarding starts 30 min prior to departure). I would never do an hour layover again. I'd say 90-120 min is good but I still avoid layovers at all cost.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Connecting flights are fine if the first flight segment is not delayed.

You check your bags at your airport of origin all the way to your destination.

At any of the major hubs in the United Sates, when flying on domestic flights on a single airline, there's no need to go through a security check at your connecting airport.

At your connecting airport, your departure gate might be right by your arrival gate, or you might have to go to another concourse. At larger airports, there are often subways, PeopleMovers, moving sidewalks, or shuttle vans to help you.

It's a chance to stretch your legs, use a restroom that's not an airplane lavatory, and have a meal, if you have enough time.

But that brings us back to my opening line: Connecting flights are fine IF the first flight segment is not delayed. With a tight connection, even a relatively short delay can be a problem. That's why, if I need to connect, I prefer to have more than hour, preferably two hours. I've missed connections in the past, and it's no fun waiting all afternoon for another flight.

By the way, if the delay is due to weather at the connecting airport, arrivals and departures can both be delayed. In that case, you can often still make your connection, even if you first flight is delayed.

 

[lindanj]

Thanks everybody....It is a connecting flight, not a 1-stop flight. Good point about what airport we would be connecting at. Here are our choices.....
1hr. 20 min. layover in Tennesee....2 hr. layover in St. Louis or 1 hr. layover in New Orleans....our flight originates out of Newark, NJ.

Any opinions on these flights?

Thanks

 

[LadyBeBop]

Thanks everybody....It is a connecting flight, not a 1-stop flight. Good point about what airport we would be connecting at. Here are our choices.....
1hr. 20 min. layover in Tennesee....2 hr. layover in St. Louis or 1 hr. layover in New Orleans....our flight originates out of Newark, NJ.

Any opinions on these flights?

Thanks

1) Which airport in Tennessee?

2) What time of year?

Under normal circumstances, I'd go with the 2 hour layover in St. Louis. Unfortunately, you may also battle snow there as well. New Orleans has the best chance of good weather. Unfortunately there, that's the shortest layover. Plus Newark doesn't have the best percentage of on-time departures.

I'd still probably go with St. Louis and the long layover. However, if you're changing planes in Knoxville, TN (not Memphis), I may go with the very small Knoxville airport. I think you'd be changing planes in Memphis though.

 

[lindanj]

Thanks LadyBeBop,

We ae going in April. The airport in Tennessee is in
Nashville

 

[Bobo912]

Thanks LadyBeBop,

We ae going in April. The airport in Tennessee is in
Nashville

A 1 hour and 20 minute layover should be plenty of time in Nashville. You won't have to change terminals. Here is a map of the airport:

http://www.flynashville.com/im/Pages/Landing.aspx

 

[PatMcDuck]

Thanks LadyBeBop,

We ae going in April. The airport in Tennessee is in
Nashville

You say Newark NJ; any possibility of using another airport? I never use Newark for flights to Orlando, since Delta stopped flying there with nonstops. We live closer to Newark, but we are in Central NJ, so PHL is only 1/2 hour longer ride than EWR.

Philadelphia is usually less $$, try Southwest and US Airways from PHL.

Good luck.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Hi lindanj,

It seems you're looking at connecting flights from Newark (EWR) to Orlando (MCO) on Southwest.

One of Southwest's connecting airports on that itinerary is Chicago-Midway (MDW). You've left it out of this thread, perhaps because you're concerned about connecting at such a big city airport, or perhaps because you're concerned about Chicago weather.

Allow me to suggest why MDW might be the best place to connect.

The big risk whenever you connect anywhere is missing your second flight segment because your first flight is delayed -- and having to wait half a day or until the next day for another flight. You can mitigate this risk by flying into an airline hub with frequent service. Southwest has around 8 nonstop flights per day between MDW to MCO (and a bunch of connections too). If you miss your connection, Southwest can put you on another flight leaving soon. Compare that to airports that might only have 2 flights per day to MCO.

Southwest runs a massive operation at MDW, but it's not a huge airport. (Chicago's huge airport is O'Hare.)

Spring storms can be a problem at any airport in the Midwest or South. MDW seems to deal with storms with fewer delays and cancellations than Chicago-O'Hare.

And there are some pretty decent places to eat lunch at MDW.

 

[seashoreCM]

I and we were rushed. We got off the plane, found bathrooms, swallowed fast food sandwiches (some actually had to eat their meals on the plane because we were so rushed) and then began boarding for the second flight.

A good idea and almost always you can do this leisurely.